Stop-relay mechanism for record-controlled musical instruments



Sept. 7 1926 T. F. CHEEK STOP RELAY MECHANI$M FOR RECORD CONTROLLED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 29, 1924 Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES TOLBERT F. CHEER,

TION, OF

STOP-RELAY MECHANISM FOR PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WELTE-MIGNON CORPORA- NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RECORD-CONTROLLED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed January 29, 1924. Serial No. 689,340.

This invention relates to record controlled musical instruments and particularly to those record controlled instruments wherein the rewinding takes place, under control amsm may all be within the confines of the case without increasing the size thereof. At the same time, it has been the aim to have the parts arranged in as few units as possible in order to permit of easy assembling and repair to the parts.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of improvements in the details of the operating mechanism, and control valve for the sheet controlled rewinding mechanism.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a control valve and operating mechanism therefor, for the stop-reply mechanism wherein the control parts are arranged at the rear of the tracker box and adjacent thereto. 7

Another object of my invention is the provision of a sheet controlled operating rock shaft having its axis in line with the gravity operated valve.

Referring to the drawin illustrated a preferred em invention,

Fig. 1 is a general View of the tracker box, roll operating mechanism and my improved control valve and its operating lever, the rear of the tracker box being shown as being removed for clearness.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view looking down from above on my valve and its improved operating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional View of the valve box 57 which illustrates in detail also the construction of valve boxes 31 and 59.

9 designates the tracker box base board of a record controlled musical instrument as a piano, 10 the tracker box mounted thereon, 11 and 12 the music and take up rolls respectively. 13 is the music sheet which wherein I have diment of my operates over the tracker 14 in a well known 'At the right of the tracker box manner.

is illustrated the Winding and rewinding mechanism but as the details of this mechan sm form no part of this invention, they Wlll not be further described.

' At 16, I have illustrated the shifting rod which controls the position of the gears of the winding and rewinding mechanism. When the rod 16 is at the right in the position opposite to that shown in Figure l, the gearing is in position to wind the sheet onto the take-up roll 12 and to play as the note perforations register with the ducts of the tracker 14. The rod 16 is controlled by a hand lever (not shown) or by the re la pneumatic 17, the movable member of wliic is provided with an extension 18 which engages a lug 19 on the rod 16, to move the latter to the right. i

To operate the rod 16 to the left, a rewind pneumatic 20 is provided, which has an extension 21 on its movable member. This extension 21, engages the lug 22 on the rod 16 to move the rod to the left. A stop pneumatic 23 is provided with a connection from its movable member, through a rod 24 to the electric switch 25. The switch 25, through the wires 26, controls the operation of'the motor 27 which operates the main source of air tension 28.

The rewind pneumatic 20 is controlled through the duct 31 and the usual primary pneumatic 31 by the duct 32 in the tracker. When the selection has been completely played, a perforation in the sheet causes this duct to open with a result that the re wind pneumatic is caused to collapse and shift the rod 16 with a consequent rewinding of the record upon the music roll.

A depression 40 is provided in the takeup roll 12. Mounted, preferably along the rear of the rear board 41 of the tracker box, are bearings 42 which carry a shaft 43. An arm 44 extending from the shaft 43, projects through the back board of the tracker box in position to have its end engage the notch 40 in the take-up roll 12. When the music sheet is rolled upon the take-up roll, the arm 44 is prevented from entering the notch 40 as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 3. A

At the end of the shaft 43 is a crank 45 which is in position to raise the stop-replay control valve 46. This valve 46 is pivoted at 46 to a block supported at the rear of the'rear of the tracker box. The valve 46 is A. on portion 48 projects v ot' the valve a l l 'h" or:

headed e a valve seat 52 A suitable en found with a two-way s h either the duct r the duct UQPGDJZIIQ upon which the switch is thrown.

ne tlLlL'L no connects wnh a valve box 07 'nii the usual prima pneumatic exhal admission way to he .ct 58 which is in dn ct communication with the intermr oi the pneumatic 17.

The duct i) connects with a valve box 59 containing the usual form or primary pneul L? "A LlL which controls the exhaust from or admission'ot air at atmospheric pressure to, the stop pneumatic The two-way valve 5i may be of any suitable design wherein the duct 53 may be connected to either duet or duct 56. A suitable form is illustratec wherein the ducts 53, 55 and 56 have ports concentric about a center and open upon a face of a plate. A movable member is pivotally mounted at the center of the three ports and bears against the face containing the duct ports. 'A depression on the side of the movable member is always open to the port ot' the duct 53 and is capable of opening communication therefrom to either the duct 55 or the duct 56 by simply turning the movable member about its pivot. A suitable handle is provided to turn the mov able member of the valve and a stop is pro vided to confine the movement to the necessary limits.

I will now describe the operation.

The music sheet is attached to the take-up roll by its ring in the usual manner. The rod 16 is then moved to its playing position, the take-up roll having been moved by hand until the music sheet lifts the arm 44 out of its depression lO, in the take-up roll 12.

The starting lever (not shown) which operates the rotL to close the switch 25, is now operated to close the switch tostart the motor 2?. This starts the suction pump 28 which isthe main source of power to supply the exhaust to the several parts of the instrument.

.of the sheet, uncovers the a of the L, operal s it the completion oi the playin select on, the perforation 5'32 op i toe primary valve in the ve box i 1.115;" the 1 ienniatic to be QI-Llllltllillhl with a consequent operation 01 the exten sion and the in 'll is cause the winding and rewinn in lncclnlnisni to he versed and the sheet to be rcwound.

As soon as the diagonal edge (50, ot' the end or noien lththe end of the arm 44, u c the act' of tie spri ll). drops thenidnto. This turns the shalt causing the lift the valve e26 which will, wl cover the i at of the the valve .7 to connect the o Us 0 and {iii to the stop pncinnz'ilic will be Operated ill a m ner already described. This causes the switch 253 to be operated with a consequent stopping of the source oi on If the valve 53 is set so that the dues 525 and 55 are connected, then the replay pnei-imatic it, upon the openi the duct 32. will ii ediately be COllliPoEtl. This collape. of the pneumatic l7 will cause a movement of the rod 16 to the right and cause the winding and rewinding' mecin anism to be et for winding the mnsic again upon the tae up roll. As long as the valve Si is set for replay, it is obvious from the above that the selection will COIlllIlLlUl be played, rerolled and rcplayct. It is to be noted that the mounting of all oi the mechanism and connections upon the tracker box and its base board, permits ol' the ready removal of the unit without disturbing any of the connections. It will also be noted that the arrangement of the valve and shaft are such'that the parts will lie close to the rear of the tracker box and consequently occupy little space. At the same time, they are not exposed to the dust in the front of the tracker box.

lVhile I have described in detail an em bodiment of my invention, I desire to have .it understood that the drawings are not merely illustrative, that I do not limit myself to the exact structure shown and described and that modifications and chang s may he made without departing, from the sp rit of my invention and within ap )ended claims.

laying described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. In combination a tracker box supporting board, a tracker box, take-up roll and a stop-replay mechanism supported thereon. the, said mechanism comprising a stop pneumatic, a replay pneumatic. a valve seat haw ing communication with the stop pneumatic andthe replay pneumatic, controlling means for selectively connecting the valve seat with either the stop pneumatic or the replay pneumatic, a valve controlling the passage the scope of the till lltl of air at the valve seat, the take-up roll having a depression in its body ortion and means controlling the operation of the valve andhaving a portion in position to enter the depression when the same is uncovered by the note record and be raised out of the depression when the note sheet is rolled upon the take-up roll.

2. In combination a tracker box supporting board, a tracker box, take-up roll and a stop-replay mechanism supported thereon, the said mechanism comprising a stop pneumatic, a replay pneumatic, a valve seat having communication with the stop pneumatic and the replay pneumatic, controlling means for selectively connecting the valve seat with either the stop pneumatic or the replay pneumatic, a valve controlling the passage of air at the valve seat, the take-up roll having a "depression in its body portion, a shaft having a crank at its end, the crank being in position to engage and lift the valve, an arm connected to the shaft and in position to enter the depression when the same is uncovered by the note record and be raised out of the depression when the note sheet is rolled upon the take-up roll;

3. In combination a tracker box supporting board, a tracker box, take-up roll and a stop-replay mechanism supported thereon, the said mechanism comprising a stop pneu matic, a replay pneumatic, a valve seat having communication with the stop pneumatic and the replay pneumatic, controlling means for selectively connecting the valve seat with either the stop pneumatic or the replay pneumatic, a valve controlling the passage of air at thevalve seat, the take-up roll having a depression in its body portion, a shaft having a crank at its end, and having its axis substantially in line with the valve, the crank being in position to engage and lift the valve, an arm connected to the shaft and in position to enter the depression when the same is uncovered by the note record and be raised out of the depression when the note sheet is rolled upon the take-up roll.

4. In combination a tracker box supporting board, a tracker-box, take-up roll and a stop-replay mechanism supported thereon, the said mechanism comprising a stop pneumatic, a replay pneumatic, a valve seat having communication with the stop pneumatic and the replay pneumatic, controlling means for selectively connecting the valve seat with either the stop pneumatic or the replay pneumatic, a valve controlling the passage of air at the valve seat, the take-up roll having a depression in its body portion, a shaft having a crank at its end, the crank being in position to engage and lift the valve, an arm connected to the shaft and in position to enter the depression when the same is uncovered by the note record and be raised out of the depression when the note sheet isrolled upon the take-up roll, the valve and shaft being at the rear of the tracker box, the arm extending through an opening in the back board of the tracker box.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

TOLBERT F. CHEEK. 

